Chapter 177: Might As Well Kill Them All (II)

In the bright moonlight, Lin Zheyu's appearance still bore a vague resemblance to the older Liang Song. However, it was only a slight resemblance.

"Liang Song? Who is Liang Song? I do not know what you are talking about. I am of Forest Net Temple. Do you intend to make an enemy of us?"

Yong Kang invoked the name of Forest Net Temple without a hint of fear, staring at Lin Zheyu with a somewhat indifferent gaze. Only then did he realize the man before him was not the one who had attacked them last time. Liang Song. This was the name he had heard from Ge Wuning—the enemy Ge Wuning had provoked over a decade ago.

Could this man be Liang Song's brother, or his father, or perhaps his uncle? His strength is terrifyingly great, at least that of the Marrow Refining Realm. Damn it, didn't Ge Wuning say Liang Song's whole family was wiped out and he was the only one left struggling to survive?

Yong Kang's mind raced as he thought of ways to escape. He was in a foul mood. This matter was clearly none of his business, so why had Liang Song and this powerful man dragged him into two separate ambushes?

If they wanted revenge, they should go straight after Ge Wuning! With such formidable power, even in Bafang City, a direct ambush would have succeeded long ago.

"Is that so?"

Lin Zheyu gave a faint smile. He retrieved a leather pouch filled with medicinal powder from his bosom. This powder was a poison he had concocted following a recipe from the Toxicology Codex. After poisoning someone, their body would be tormented by unbearable itching, and without an antidote, one would suffer a pain like a million ants gnawing at the heart.

"Once you ingest this, you'll have a lot more to tell me," said Lin Zheyu with a smile.

Seeing Lin Zheyu's smile sent a chill through Yong Kang. As a member of Forest Net Temple, he knew of many poisons that could make life worse than death. Clearly, the powder Lin Zheyu produced was one of those poisons.

"No, no, I'll talk! I bear no grudge against the Liang Family. All of this was done by Ge Wuning. If you seek revenge, go after Ge Wuning. It has nothing to do with me!" Yong Kang hurriedly blurted out. He had thought it through.

Screw this! Why should I take a hit for Ge Wuning, that bastard? Because of Ge Wuning's mistake over a decade ago, I'm being implicated in this bullshit! Fuck!

Seeing that the man had learned his lesson, Lin Zheyu pocketed the poison and said calmly, "Keep talking. Make it clear, and I'll make this quick for you."

"I'm not entirely sure of the specifics. The only person from Forest Net Temple involved in the slaughter of the Liang Family was Ge Wuning. I had nothing to do with it. Including Ge Wuning, Peng Yi of the Giant Spirit Gang, Yuan Shan of the Yuan Family, and Zhu Kun of Shadow Moon Peak, all took part," Yong Kang said it all in one breath.

He assumed Lin Zheyu was Liang Song's brother or kin who came for vengeance. So he revealed everything he knew, afraid Lin Zheyu might target the wrong person and get him killed in the process. That would be a terribly undeserved death.

However, he was only being truthful about Ge Wuning. Whether anyone else was actually involved, he had no clue.

"Where is Liang Song now?" asked Lin Zheyu calmly.

He only listened to Yong Kang's words with skepticism. Liang Song's enemies should be sought out by Liang Song himself; if they proved weak, he might conveniently help avenge him. But if they were too powerful, then there was nothing he could do.

Among the names this man mentioned were members of several major factions in Bafang City; even if they were not very strong, killing them would bring immense trouble.

"I do not know that. After Liang Song's last assassination attempt on Ge Wuning's son failed, he disappeared, and his whereabouts became unknown. But recently, Ge Wuning secretly contacted Yan Jun, intending to use his hands to kill Liang Song. They may have already made a move. If you hurry to the Yan Residence now, you might still be able to save Liang Song's life," said Yong Kang hurriedly.

"

Heh.

" Lin Zheyu snorted softly. Doubt lingered in his heart; he did not fully believe him.

"Where is Ge Wuning now?" Lin Zheyu asked again.

"I dined with Ge Wuning and his son this evening. After the meal, they went to the Yan Residence to conspire with Yan Jun about killing Liang Song. If you go to the Yan Residence now, you may still be able to save Liang Song. Spare my life, and I will take you to the Yan residence...

Ugh...

"

Yong Kang widened his eyes as a bright blade suddenly sliced through his throat. He looked at Lin Zheyu in disbelief and could not understand.

Why in the fuck...? I was fucking cooperating, fuck!

He had even planned to use the opportunity for advancement to the Force Transformation Realm as a bargaining chip for his life. But Lin Zheyu gave him no chance to speak.

"You've said too many lies," said Lin Zheyu calmly.

He had already obtained much of the information he wanted. There were too many falsehoods mixed in with the man's words; listening further would only cloud his judgment and serve no purpose.

After disposing of the body, Lin Zheyu returned to the city. He arrived at the Forest Net Temple outpost. Earlier, he had applied tracking powder to Ge Wuning and Ge Bing, so he knew that they were still within the premises.

It was clear that the last thing Yong Kang had said was false. However, the part about Yan Jun planning to target Liang Song might be true.

"The Yan Family... Ge Wuning... With them as the breakthrough, perhaps I really can find Master Liang Song," Lin Zheyu murmured to himself. He had searched for Master Liang Song for so long in teahouses without success. Now that he had found a new lead, he might finally gain something.

Morning came, and Lin Zheyu had kept watch outside the Forest Net Temple outpost all night, monitoring Ge Wuning's movements. Now that he had a lead, he was not about to let it slip away. With his physical constitution, staying awake an entire night was nothing.

As dawn began to break, the streets slowly came alive. People bustled about, and many breakfast stalls were already open. The city's prosperity offered endless options. Breakfasts were diverse. There were soy milk and fritters, pan-fried dumplings, stewed dishes, and everything imaginable.

It had been a long time since Lin Zheyu had last eaten breakfast. Disguised as an ordinary middle-aged man, he ordered a few fritters and a large bowl of beef noodle soup; the flavor was quite good. In this world, slaughtering cattle was not against the law. Compared to cattle, there existed a domesticated beast that was even better suited for farm work.[1]

"

Ah

, they're finally leaving."

Lin Zheyu's expression shifted slightly as he rose and followed. He trailed far behind the Ge father and son. This time, there were three of them; the extra one was also a cultivator at the third transformation of blood qi.

They've entered the Yan Residence. Could it be they truly are working together?

Staring at the plaque above the Yan Residence gate, Lin Zheyu recalled what he knew about Yan Jun. Yan Jun was a well-known powerhouse in Bafang City, rumored to be an expert at the Marrow Refining Realm. He had a sterling reputation and carried himself as a righteous and upright man.

A Marrow Refining Realm expert, huh. I'm not sure if I can beat one right now.

Within the Blood Qi Realm, the number of blood qi transformations determined your core strength. Similarly, when entering the Marrow Refining Realm, your strength at the Blood Qi Realm directly determined how strong you'd be.

Lin Zheyu did not know what blood qi transformation Yan Jun had achieved, nor which Marrow Refining Realm's stage he had reached, so he had no confidence. If Yan Jun had only reached the fourth transformation of blood qi and the corresponding Marrow Refining Realm stage, then he should be able to handle him.

"Maybe I should find an opportunity to take these guys out one by one," Lin Zheyu murmured quietly.

A killing intent stirred within him; he planned to find chances to eliminate the three men in blood-colored Daoist robes who had just entered the Yan Residence. If the opportunity and outcome were favorable, he would even try to kill Yan Jun himself. He would eliminate anyone who might threaten his master.

Then, even if he could not find Master Liang Song, Liang Song would not be in great danger after he left. He would also be repaying Liang Song for teaching him martial techniques and resolving a matter weighing on his heart. This made his thoughts clearer.

What was the conviction of martial cultivation? It was having a focused heart, acting as one sees fit, and keeping thoughts lucid. This was a realization Lin Zheyu had recently come to. If he wanted to go further on the path of martial cultivation, maintaining clarity of mind was crucial.

First, I'll capture those three and interrogate them thoroughly. Yan Jun has a good reputation, so it'd be best not to accidentally kill an innocent man

.

He considered himself neither wholly good nor wholly bad and did not like slaughtering the innocent.

1. In ancient China, killing cattle was illegal because oxen were essential for farming; only the state could authorize their slaughter for rituals or official use, and private killing was punishable under the Tang and Ming legal codes. ☜